Match comb conveyer or carrier



H. J. SAUVAGE MATCH COMB CONVEYER OR CARRIER June 28, 1938.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 29, 1935 June 28, 1938. H. J. SAUVAGE MATCH COMB CONVEYER OR CARRIER Filed Nov. 29, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 28, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 claims.

This invention relates in general to match making machines of the type in which the matches are produced in the form of a strip or I comb, but more specifically the invention is cont; cerned in a conveyer or carrier for receiving and holding the match combs and conveying the same through the machine to be treated at the different stations, and to be finally ejected or removed from the carrier and delivered out of the machine l on to another conveyer, by means of which latter they will be delivered at a predetermined station or point, and 'oneof the objects of the invention is to provide a conveyer or carrier of this char- 7 I acterprovided with means for temporarily holdl ing the match combs, and which means will permit portions of the combs to move freely with respect to the holding means and thereby prevent the combs from becoming distorted. H A further object is to provide in a machine of i0" this character means whereby the comb holding conveyer or carrier will be given a constant movement, while the combs are being cut and intermittently 'fed to, placed upon and temporarily and removably anchored or secured to 25 the conveyer or carrier.

A further object is to provide improved means for removing the combs from the carrier.

A further object is to provide upon the carrier improved holders having seats for the combs, and means for directing and guiding the edge of the combs into said seats.

A further object is to provide improved anchoring devices disposed adjacent and co-operating with certain of said seats, portions of the 3 co-operating seats being shaped to direct and guide the edge of the comb into the anchoring devices.

Tothe attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and. arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying draw- 15 ings illustrating this invention andin which Figure 1 is a view in diagram of a portion of a machine of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a detail perspective view. of one of the flights of the carrier, and showing the seats and'holding devices for the combs.

Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view, as taken on line 33, Figure 2.

Y Figure 4 is a detail, sectional view, taken on line 4-4, Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the anchoring or securing clips or devices.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 6--6, Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of portions of two adjacent flights showing the manner in which the corresponding match comb holders are arranged out of alinement with each other.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the match comb conveyer or carrier consists essentially of an endless member Ill preferably constructed in the form of a sprocket chain, the links of which are pivotally connected by means of the connecting members II. The numeral I2 designates generally one of the flights of the conveyer or carrier, any number of which may be provided, and as the construction-and operation of each of the flights is the same, the description of one will apply equally as well to them all.

These flights are preferably constructed of suitable rigid material, preferably of sheet metal stamped or formed of any desired length, but are preferably comparatively narrow with relation to their length. Along the longitudinal edges of each of the flights is provided a flange [3 to impart rigidity to the structure, and these flights are secured to the endless member H] in any desired or suitable manner, preferably by resting upon the top of the run of the endless member, and the endless member is preferably located at substantially the longitudinal center 'of the flights. Each of the flights may be secured to the endless member in any suitable manner, preferablyby means of brackets M of an L shaped formation, one portion of which is secured to the sides of the endless member, and the other portion I5 of the brackets engaging and resting against the lower face of the flight l2, so that the flight will be supported by the endless member ID as well as the members |4--I5.

Fastening devices, preferably in the form of bolts l6, are provided for securing the flights to the endless member. These bolts 16 pass through the flight and also through the portion l5 of the anchor member, and nuts or collars II are threaded upon the bolts.

I These flights l2 are arranged with their proximate longitudinal edges in close proximity to each other, as shown more clearly in Figure 4, and the endless conveyer and carrier thus formed passes over suitable sprocket wheels I8, 19, 20, and 2|, supported in suitable bearings by means of a frame having uprights 22 and connecting members 23-24. The frame may be of any desired size, according to the length of the conveyer or carrier, and the sprockets l8, I9, 28, and 2| are preferably located adjacent the corners of the frame, so that the flights l2, during their traveling movement, pass over the respective pulleys l8, I9, 28, and 2|, the bending or pivotal movement of the adjacent flights will not cause the match combs to interfere with each other.

At the lower portion of the frame is provided a member 25, to the lower face of which is connected in any suitable manner, a plate or member 25, one preferably adjacent the line of travel of each of the ends of the flights, and which. plates 28 project beyond the edge of the mem-' ber 25, so that when the flights during their travel reach and move across the bottom of the machine, they will engage and rest upon the plates 28 to hold the flights from sagging, so that they will be in a proper position when they pass may be connected to a motor 29, a gear 38 beingsecured to the shaft 28, which meshes with a gear 3! on a shaft 32, and on which shaft is a gear 33 and meshes with a gear 34 on a shaft 35. ll

gear 36 on the shaft 35 meshes with a gear 3? on a shaft 38. A gear 39 is carried by the shaft 38 and meshes with a gear 40 on a shaft 4|, 2, gear 42 being also-mounted on the shaft 4|, and thisgear 42 meshes with a gear 43 on a shaft 44, to which the sprocket wheel 2! is secured for rotation.

Thus it will be seen that by means of the reduction gearing fromthe power shaft 28 to the sprocket wheel 2!, a very slow speed of travel willbe impartedto the match comb conveyer.

Obviously, and if I desired, the ends of the flights 42 may be guided by suitable portions of the frame during their traveling movement.

Mounted upon and extending transversely of each of the flights l2 and spaced from each other in directions lengthwise of the flight, is a series of holders 45, any number of which may beprovided, and these holders 45 may be secured in position, such as by means of fastening devices 48 passing through a flanged portion 4'1 of the holding device and also through the flight l2.

These holders are arranged uprightly with respect to the flight l2 and may project for any desired distance thereabove, and preferably extendentire'ly across the flight in directions transverse to the'longitudinal axis thereof.

The corresponding holders -45 on adjacent flights are arranged slightly out of alinementso' that they will be displaced laterally, as shown more particularly in Figure '7, and so that when the endless flexible member ID, sags, the proximate ends of adjacent holders 45 or the match combs, supported thereby will not abut, but will overlap or press each other.

Within these holders 45 is provided a series of seats 48 preferably in the form of recesses, which open through the upper edge of the holder and preferably terminate short of the bottom of the upright portion of the holder.

The side walls of the recesses 48 at points a substantial distance above the bottom of the recesses 48 diverge as at 49 to form. guides for directing the edge of the comb into the seat 43. t The seats 48 are preferably of a width slightly greater than the thickness of the edge of the comb which is seated therein so as to permit of a free insertion and removal of the comb and at the same time to permit of a free movement of the comb in a direction lengthwise thereof.

In the present form of the invention and as shown in Figure 2, five of these holders 45 are disclosed, although any number may be employed, according to the length of the comb to be produced.

The numeral 58 designates generally a spring clip having a body portion 51 provided with an opening 52 therethrough and upwardly and inwardly inclined spring arms 53, the upper extremities of the arms being deflected or bent away from each other, as at 54, so as to provide an entrance and guide for directing the edge of the comb sheet into the clip as it is being moved into the: seat 48, and through the opening 55 between the. upper ends of the arms 53 of the clip. These clips 58 are secured to the flight l2, preferably adjacent the middleholder 45, and one of these clips is provided adjacent each of the seats 48, being held and anchored in position by means of a fastening'device 56, in the form of a screw or other fastening means. When in position the deflected portions 54 of the arms 53 will co-incide or be in alinement withthe beveled portions or walls 49 of the upper portion of the recess 48, one of the clips being provided adjacent each recess of the middle holder, and the parts 55 of the arms 53 of the spring will be disposed substantially in alinement with the center of the recesses or seats 48 to hold the match comb centered in its seat.

With this construction it will be manifest that when the edge of the comb is placed into the opening at the top of the recess or seat 48, it will be directed by the inclined Walls between the deflected extremities 54 of the arms 53 of the clips 50, which arms 53 will yield sufi'iciently to permit the edge of the comb to be inserted thereinto. The natural resiliency of the arms 53 will then cause them to grip the comb and will hold or anchor the same to the flight i2.

' The comb is of a length to engage and rest in the seats 48 of each of the members 45.

It has been found that in the manufacture of match combs-of this character, the combs will, during the different steps of their treatment, and especially the drying thereof, warp or become distorted. Therefore, if the comb is held securely or anchored at points adjacent each of the holders 45, it will be manifest that it would buckle and become permanently distorted. However, by anchoring or holding the comb at a central longitudinal point by the clips 58, the remaining portion of the combs will rest loosely in the seats 48 of the other holders 45, and during contraction and expansion will slide through these seats, thereby maintaining the comb from becoming'buckled or distorted. At the same time when the flight I2 is inverted, the combs will be held against becoming displaced with respect to the flight by means of the spring arms 53 of the clips 50.

The numeral 51 designates the supply or stock from which the combs are formed, and this may be supplied to the machine from a roll or from any other suitable source and passes between feed rolls 58-59. The roller 59 is preferably intermittently rotated by means of a pawl 60 carried by an arm BI and which pawl engages teeth 62 on a ratchet wheel secured to the feed roll 59.

A'link 63 is connected by one end to the arm GI and by its other end as at 64 with a crank 65 on a shaft 66, to which shaft a gear Blis secured and with which gear 61 the gear 30 on the power shaft meshes, so that an intermittent feeding movement will be imparted to the feed rollers and thereby intermittently advance the stock or material 57. The material passes through suitable guides 68 onto a support 89 where it will be severed by a cutter 10. This cutter may be carried by a reciprocating head H to which one end of a link or member, 12 is pivotally connected as at 13. The other end of the link I2 is preferably shaped to encompass an eccentric 14 on the shaft 32, so that as the shaft 32 rotates, a reciprocatory movement will be imparted to the cutter 10.

The gear ratios between the intermittent operation of the feeding mechanism for the material from which the combs are formed, the operation of the cutter l0 and the sprocket wheels IS, IS, 20, and 2 I, and consequently the movement of the endless member 60 carrying the flights l2, are such that while the flights l2 are given a constant degree of slow movement, the feeding rolls 58 and 59 and the cutter 10 will be given an intermittent but faster operation. The parts are so timed that just as one of the seats 48 in one set of the holders 45 is arriving at a position adjacent the support 69 to receive the edge of one of the combs, the edge of the comb will be directed and guided into the seat, and simultaneously at the time when the edge of the comb substantially reaches the bottom of the seat 48, the cutter 10 will operate to sever the material.

' As the combs are carried past the station '21, theywill have the match heads applied thereto in any suitable manner, preferably by means of a roller 15 operating ina receptacle 15 holding the material H, the roller 15 being partially immersed in the material 11 and wiping against the ends of the separate matches forming the comb.

The combs are conveyed from the support 69 in the direction indicated by thearrow in Figure 1, and by the time they reach the ejecting station the matcheswill become sufficiently dry so that they can be removed from the flights.

This may be accomplishedin any desired or suitable manner, preferably by means of ejector fingers 18 which are preferably secured to a rock shaft '59 and project beneath the'edge of the comb as the comb approaches the fingers. The

shaft 19 is rocked by means of a link or rod pivotally connected by one end as at 8! to an arm 82 on the shaft 19. The other end of the link 80 is pivotally connected as at 83 to a lever 84 pivotally supported as at 85 upon any suitable fixed support. Aroller 86 is carried by the free end of the lever 84, and a cam 81 on the shaft 32 co-operates with the roller 86 so as to rock the shaft 19 and thereby cause the fingers 18, which pass beneath the edge of the comb, to engage said edge and eject or remove the same from the flight l2 and out of the anchoring clip 50 to deflexible member H] a track or guide 89 is provided over which this member moves as shown more clearly in Figure 3 of the drawings.

With this improved construction it will be manifest that the match combs will be held upon the flights in such a manner that contraction or expansion thereof during the treating of the combs will be permitted and they will be prevented from warping and from becoming distorted. At the same time. they may be readily removed at the proper station in the machine.

Furthermore, the comb carrier will be continuously operating while the feeding and cutting mechanisms operate intermittently, thereby rendering it possible to so design the machine that the extent of movement of the comb carrier will be comparatively slow with respect to the feeding and inserting of the combs into the carriers. This renders it possible to provide a very simple and inexpensive construction whereby a plurality of combs may be delivered to and connected with each of the flights, resulting in a very high capacity for the machine.

It will also be manifest that with the present invention there is employed only a single endless traveling member to which the flights are connected, the traveling member being located at substantially the longitudinal center of the flights, materially reduces the cost of construction, and with this construction the flights will be held in the proper position and the necessity of closely fitting guides and supports for the ends of the flights will be obviated.

The provision of the holders 45 together with the spring clips 50, renders it possible to produce a machine of this character at a comparatively low cost, as it is not necessary to form the seats or holding means for the edges of the comb in either the conveyer or the flights, and the simple construction of the spring holding clips materially reduces the cost of the anchoring devices for the combs.

It will also be manifest that with this improved construction of carrier and by causing the same to pass over the pulleys l8, I9, 29, and 2i, which are located at points spaced a considerable distance from each other, the bending or deflecting of the flights by reason of the endless member passing over the pulleys will cause the free ends of the combs carried by adjacent flights, to be separated from each other, thereby obviating the danger of the combs of one flight interfering with the combs of the other flight as they pass over the pulleys which support the conveyer.

I If desired, or necessary, and as a means for holding the flights !2 in proper position while the match combs are being inserted into the seats 58, suitable guides 89 may be provided adjacent the match comb inserting station, over or through which guides the ends of the flights i2 move.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:--

1. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer, flights carried by the conveyer, match comb holding means carried by the flight and comprising laterally spaced members extending in directions transverse to the longitudinal axis of the flight and arranged perpendicular to the flight, alined seats in said members opening through the free edge thereof and into which seats one edge of the match comb is inserted, and anchoring means disposed adjacent, but outside of one of said seats for removably anchoring the comb in the last said seat, the comb projecting into and being freely movable in the other of said seats.

2. A conveyer embodying a single endless flexible member, a plurality of flat sheet metal plates secured intermediate their ends to said member, said plates being formed of sheet material with the proximate edges of adjacent plates in close proximity, a plurality of holders for match combs carried by said plates, the adjacent holders being laterally spaced with respect to each other whereby the proximate ends of adjacent holders will overlap when the adjacent plates are turned on their longitudinal axes towards each other.

3. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer member, flights carried thereby and extending in directions transverse to the line of travel of the conveyer, said fhghts comprising a channel shaped plate comparatively narrow with respect to its length, and a series of laterally spaced upright members carried by the plate and extending thereacross in directions transverse to the length of the flights, said members having seats opening through their free longitudinal edge.

4. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer member, flights carried thereby and extending in directions transverse to the line of travel of the conveyer, said flights comprising a channel shaped plate comparatively narrow with respect to its length, a series of laterally spaced upright members carried by the plate and extending thereacross in directions transverse to the length of the flights, said members having seats opening through their free longitudinal edge, and a resilient clamping element in close proximity to each of the seats in one of said members.

5. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer member, flights carried thereby and extending in directions transverse to the line of travel of the conveyer, said flights comprising a channel shaped plate comparatively narrow with respect to its length, a series of laterally spaced upright members carried by the plate and extending thereacross in directions transverse to the length of the flights, said members having seats opening through their free longitudinal edge, and a resilient clamping element in close proximity to the seats in one of the intermediate members, whereby when the match comb is seated in the seat in the last said member, portions of the match comb seated in the seats in. the other members will be adapted to slide endwise freely through said other members.

6. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer member, flights carried thereby .and extending in directions transverse to the line of travel of the conveyer, said flights comprising a channel shaped plate comparatively narrow with respect to its length, a series of laterally spaced upright members carried by the plate and extending thereacross in directions transverse to the length of the flights, said members having seats opening through their free longitudinal edge, and a resilient clamping element in close proximity to the seats in one of the intermediate members, whereby when the match comb is seated in the seat in the last said member, portions of the match comb seated in the seats in the other members will be adapted to slide endwise freely through said other members, said clamping elements embodying spring arms inclined from their base towards each other and the upper extremities of the arms being deflected away from each other to provide a guide for directing the edge of the match comb between said arms.

7. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer member, flights carried thereby and extending in directions transverse to the line of travel of the conveyer, said flights comprising a channel shaped plate comparatively narrow with respect to its length, a series of laterally spaced upright members carried by the plate and extending thereacross in directions transverse to the length of the flights, said members having seats opening through their free longitudinal edge, and a resilient clamping element in close proximity to the seats in one of the intermediate members, whereby when the match comb is seated in the seat in the last said member, portions of the match comb seated in the seats in the other members will be adapted to slide endwise freely through said other members, said clamping elements embodying spring arms inclined from their base towards each other and the upper extremities of the arms being deflected away from each other to provide a guide for directing the edge of the match comb between said arms, portions of the walls of saidseats being inclined and coinciding with the upper deflected portions of said arms. 7

8. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer member, flights carried thereby and extending in directions transverse to the line of travel of the conveyer, said flights comprising a channel shaped plate comparatively narrow with respect to its length, a series of laterally spaced upright members carried by the plate and extending thereacross. in directions transverse to the length of the flights, said members having seats opening through their free longitudinal edge, and a resilient clamping element in close.

proximity to the seats in one of theintermediate members, whereby when the match comb is seated in the seatin the last said member,

in the other members will be adapted to slide endwise freely through said other members, saidclamping elements embodying spring arms inclined from their base towards each other and the upper extremities of the arms being deflected away from each other to provide a guide for directing the edge of the match comb between said arms, the parts of said arms at the base of said deflected portions being disposed approximately centrally of said seats.

9. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer member, flights .carried thereby with their longitudinal dimension transverse to the line of travel of said conveyer member, said flights each comprising a thin channel shaped plate, laterally spaced thin angle members supported by the plate and extending transversely thereacross, fastening means passing through the angle members and said plate, said angle members having openings extending through their upper edge and constituting seats'for the edge of the match comb, and resilient clamping mem bers adjacent one end of said angle members and in alinement with the seats therein.

10. In a match making machine, a traveling conveyer member, flights carried thereby with their longitudinal diameter transverse to the line of travel of said conveyer member, said flights each comprising a thin channel shaped plate, laterally spaced thin angle members supported by the plate and extending transversely thereacross, fastening means passing through the angle members and said plate, said angle members having openings extending through their upper edge and constituting seats for the edge of the match comb, and resilient clamping members adjacent one side of said angle members and in alinement with the seats therein, the said resilient clamping members being shaped to hold the match comb centrally in its seat in said angle member.

11. In a match making machine, a single endless conveyer, a plurality of flights of substantial predetermined points in the line of travel of the 10 flights with the conveyer.

HERBERT J. SAUVAGE. 

